LIMA 2017
The report said Malaysia had ordered six littoral combat ships based on the French Gowind 2500 design under a RM8.88 billion contract signed in 2011.
Malaysia has also signed a contract of undisclosed value with China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence for four littoral mission ships. The deal was sealed last November. Also late last year, the Indonesian shipbuilder PT
PAL signed a memorandum of understanding with Boustead Holdings Bhd to collaborate on Malaysia’s MRSS programme based on the Maksassar-class design used by the Indonesian and Philippine navies, the report noted. The five classes of vessels the navy is geared to have should ideally consist of 12 French-designed littoral combat ships, 18 Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels, 18 Chinese-designed littoral mission ships, three multirole support ships and four submarines, the report said.
Of these, only six lightly-armed Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels and two French Scorpene submarines were now in service, it noted.
KUALA LUMPUR: Budget cuts have forced Malaysia to consolidate its navy fleet, cutting down on new orders even as several existing vessels face impending retirement.
According to a report in the DefenseNews web portal, the restructuring and recapitalising of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) was taking place in the face of immediate security challenges in the maritime sphere.
It said Malaysia was faced with the spillover of lawlessness and banditry from the southern Philippines to Sabah and Sarawak as well as piracy in the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea.
Furthermore, it added, Malaysia needed to patrol offshore oil and gas fields critical for the country’s revenue and also enforce its claim on disputed islands and other areas in the South China Sea, where China is aggressively imposing its claims.
“With no end to its budgetary squeeze in sight, the RMN may find itself forced to sustain a shrinking pool of elderly vessels, casting further doubt on Malaysia’s ability to secure its own waters,” it said.
The report, published last Friday, was the second in a series by the news portal on the Malaysian defence scenario in the lead-up to the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA), which opens this Tuesday.
It noted Malaysia’s plan to reduce navy orders from 15 to five classes of ships and submarines. With older ships to be retired, the maintenance costs for the fleet would be cut down by 2030, it said.
The report quoted defence analyst Dzirhan Mahadzir as saying that the RMN’s priority should still be in bringing in multirole support ships (MRSS). This is because the loss of KD Sri Inderapura in a fire in 2009 had left a void in the navy’s capability to conduct sealift, which refers to the use of cargo ships for deployment of military assets. The MRSS would also enable the navy to move large numbers of troops and equipment and improve its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, Dzirhan said.
The report quoted defence analyst Dzirhan Mahadzir as saying that the RMN’s priority should still be in bringing in multirole support ships (MRSS). This is because the loss of KD Sri Inderapura in a fire in 2009 had left a void in the navy’s capability to conduct sealift, which refers to the use of cargo ships for deployment of military assets. The MRSS would also enable the navy to move large numbers of troops and equipment and improve its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, Dzirhan said.
The report said Malaysia had ordered six littoral combat ships based on the French Gowind 2500 design under a RM8.88 billion contract signed in 2011.
Malaysia has also signed a contract of undisclosed value with China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence for four littoral mission ships. The deal was sealed last November. Also late last year, the Indonesian shipbuilder PT
PAL signed a memorandum of understanding with Boustead Holdings Bhd to collaborate on Malaysia’s MRSS programme based on the Maksassar-class design used by the Indonesian and Philippine navies, the report noted. The five classes of vessels the navy is geared to have should ideally consist of 12 French-designed littoral combat ships, 18 Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels, 18 Chinese-designed littoral mission ships, three multirole support ships and four submarines, the report said.
Of these, only six lightly-armed Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels and two French Scorpene submarines were now in service, it noted.
Malaysia should improve ‘fragmented’ military
Honeywell Aerospace says Malaysia needs to consolidate its defence assets and tighten its communication.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia needs to consolidate its defence hardware – its ships and planes and improve communications to boost its defence capabilities as the country grapples with a variety of maritime threats, according to Honeywell Aerospace.
The main risks for the Southeast Asian nation include China’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea, piracy, and border incursions by militant groups in Borneo, Mark Burgess, Asia Pacific vice-president of defence and space at Honeywell Aerospace, said in an interview on March 15.
While a large investment in defence isn’t necessary, Malaysia should get more out of the assets it already owns, he said.
“It’s too fragmented, there are too many different types of equipment,” Burgess said of Malaysia’s defence as military officials, manufacturers and suppliers from around the world meet this week at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition.
“They need to consolidate and have fewer types of aircraft, ships and vehicles. And I think on the command and control side, communication is really integral.”
Malaysia’s defence budget for this year is the least since 2012, according to IHS Jane’s, which said the 12% decline from 2016 was the largest cut made to defence in almost two decades.
The government set aside RM15 billion (US$3.4 billion) of military spending this year, or 5.8% of the total annual public expenditure.
Burgess didn’t specify what planes or ships in particular might no longer be necessary. Malaysia’s naval fleet includes frigates, corvette warships, fast attack craft and two submarines.
Kidnappings, piracy
China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, where it has constructed features on seven rocks and reefs and installed military facilities. Several Southeast Asian nations and Taiwan also claim parts of the area, through which more than US$5 trillion of trade passes each year.
Kidnappings in the state of Sabah on Borneo island perpetrated by groups such as the Abu Sayyaf have kept Malaysian forces on edge. Air and naval surveillance are integral in policing the area around Borneo, Burgess said, adding it’s important to have the ability for officials to communicate with one another rapidly, effectively and in real time.
Global defence contractors are circling for business in Asia, with countries from Australia to Vietnam upgrading and adding everything from submarines to fighter jets as China expands its military reach.
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan represent the biggest markets in the Asia-Pacific region for Honeywell’s defence business, and Australia is growing fast with significant investments being undertaken, Burgess said.
Honeywell’s current business in Malaysia is primarily in the commercial space, with helicopters. Southeast Asia doesn’t represent significant growth opportunities, though the company is seeing some increase there and expects it to make up 10% to 15% of its regional revenue, Burgess said.
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